Hand hold face opening and spindle device for insertion or removal of button-operated mechanism



P 1964 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,149,871

HAND HOLD FACE OPENING AND SPINDLE DEVICE FOR INSERTION 0R REMOVAL OF BUTTON-OPERATED MECHANISM Filed Dec. 7, 1962 zg; 14 z 3 a... 40 Z 43 4.

42 FRED J. RUSSELL. JOSEPH .22. W17"!- 120652 J- Hog/N INVENTORS United States Patent 3,149,871 HAND HOLD FACE OPENING AND SPINDLE DEVICE FOR INSERTION UR REMOVAL OF BUTTON-OPERATED MECHANISM Fred J. Russell, 3880 Don Felipe Drive, Los Angeles, Calif, Joseph D. Witt, Whittier, and Roger J. Noiin, Monterey Park, Calif; said Joseph D. Witt and Roger J. Nolin assignors to Fred J. Russell, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Filed Dec. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 243,046 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-352 The disclosure here under consideration is one relating to door locks and button operated mechanisms associated with door locks which need to be retained in position during use but which also need to be constructed in such fashion that the button-operated mechanism can be removed and replaced when occasion requires. This is a continuation-in-part of Serial No. 240,986, filed November 29, 1962, Serial No. 242,541, filed December 5, 1962, and Serial No. 242,677, filed December 6, 1962.

The current trend in the manufacture of door locks is to assemble as much as possible of the mechanism compactly in a small space, usually in axial alignment with the hand hold or knob as the case may be. More particularly, much of the mechanism is housed within the spindle attached to the knob and which carries the rotary motion of the knob to the latching or locking mechanism. Because there is relatively little space available for the assembly of the various operating parts of a door lock, improvements and changes which are brought about from time to time have to take into consideration the rather confined space and limited opportunity for moving parts to be shifted one with respect to the other.

From time to time, the button-operated mechanism needs to be removed and replaced. It is nevertheless important that the operation be simple and easy to execute, and, further, that the lock parts involved be kept relatively few in number and of a relatively simple construction.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to 7 provide a new and improved retaining and releasing means for a button-operated mechanism which is mounted upon the spindle at a location preferably within the confines of the hand hold and which engages whatever locking mechanism is employed in a secure fashion but which can be quickly and easily disengaged without the necessity of first removing the hand hold.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved retaining and releasing subassembly for incorporation in a lock spindle which can reach through the spindle into releasable engagement with the buttonoperated mechanism without disturbing the attachment of the knob or other type of hand hold to either hold or release the mechanism as required.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved returning and releasing device for a button-operated mechanism so that the mechanism can be pulled directly out of the spindle and knob through'the face of the knob and replaced at will by merely inserting the button-operated mechanism from the outer end and merely snapping it in place.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a keeper device of such character that the same agency which holds the hand hold on the spindle can be manipulated to retain and release a button-operated mechanism without need for making any substantial changes 7 in the portion of the keeper used for holding the hand 'hold in place, the association of parts being such that -the button-operated mechanism can be drawn through the face of the hand hold without disturbing the hand hold adjustment.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view showing the device in operative position mounted upon a door;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken at with respect to the view of FIGURE 1 and on the line of 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 but wherein the button-operated mechanism has been removed;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a side-perspective view of the retaining means for the button-operated mechanism.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration, there is shown a fragmentary section of door 11 upon which a lock mechanism is mounted with the assistance of a bushing 11, trim sleeve 12, and a decorative rosette 13.

A spindle 14 is rotatably mounted in the bushing 11 and extends outwardly relative to an inside face 15 of the door. Nonrotatably attached to the spindle 14 is a hand hold or knob 16 having a neck 17 which rides over the exterior of the bushing 11 and within the interior of the sleeve 12. The outer end of the knob 16 may be de scribed as having a face portion 18 at the center of Which is an opening 19 in alignment with the spindle 14.

In this selected form of the invention, the outer end of the knob 16 embodied in the face portion 18 is centered around an annular flange 21) of a footing ring 21,

an inner annular flange 22 of which is secured over the outer end of the spindle 14. An inside shoulder 22' of the ring 21 engages the end edge 14 of the spindle 14. A shoulder 20 between the flanges is adapted to engage the inside wall of the face portion 18 adjacent the opening 19. The inside diameter of the flange 20 provides an opening 23 which is the same diameter as the inside surface 24 of the spindle 14 and in axial alignment therewith.

The button-operated mechanism is embodied in part in a cylindrical casing 25 having a bottom 26 and a hole 27 extending through the center of the bottom. A turn button 28 is rotatably mounted in the opening 23 and extends forwardly relative to the face portion 18 of the knob 16 to provide for gripping and turning the turn button 28. A yoke 29 on the turn button 28 extends into the cylindrical casing 25 and terminates in a crossbar 30 interconnecting opposite sides of the yoke 29.

One side of the cylindrical casing 25 has a cutout area indicated generally by the reference character 31. One portion of the cutout area provides a cam track 32 extending obliquely relative to the axis of the spindle 14 at the inner end of which is a retention recess 33 separated from the cam track 32 by a low projection 34. A cam 35 forming part of the crossbar 30 of the yoke 29 is adapted when the turn button 28 is rotated to slide down the cam track 32 over the projection and into the recess 33 for locking the lock mechanism against tension of a spring 37. A tailpiece 36 of substantially conventional construction is nonrotatably attached to the yoke 29 and is rotated by the operation just described in response to rotation of the turn button 28.

To retain the cylindrical casing 25 in position and at the same time prevent it from rotating, a retaining memher 40, shown in perspective in FIGURE 6 is employed. The retaining member .0 consists of opposite arcuate legs 41 and 42 terminating in tips 43 and 44. The ends of the legs opposite the tips are joined together, and In the joined area there is provided an opening 45. An extension 46 at the mid-portion of the retaining member 40 terminates in a retaining tab 47. The retaining tab 47 is adapted to extend through a hole 48 in the spindle wall which lies within a relatively close-fitting recess 49' on shoulder 49, said recess 49' and the shoulder 49 being formed by part of the cutout area 31 of the cylindrical casing 25.

For manipulating the retaining member 40 there is provided a keeper member 50, the form of which is effectively shown in FIGURE '5. The keeper member 50 comprises a mid-portion 51, a retainer end 52 and a boss 53 at the end opposite the retainer end 52 terminating in a pressure end 54. The retainer end 52 extends through a hole 55 in the wall of the spindle 14 and a radially aligned hole 56 in the neck 17. Shoulders '7 and 58 limit the travel of the keeper 50 in a downward direction, as viewed in FIGURE 5, by engagement with the inside of the spindle 14. A hole 59 of substantially greater breadth accommodates the mid-portion 51 when the keeper 50 is moved toward that side of the spindle 14. Shoulders 60 and 61 engage the mid-portion of the retainer member as on opposite sides of the opening 55 through which the boss 53 extends.

It will be noted further that the keeper 50 is provided with a hole 62, as shown in FIGURE 5, through which the tailpiece 36 extends. The relationship between the hole 62 and the tailpiece 36 is such that the keeper member 53 is not blocked in its required movement by any position of the tailpiece 36. Therefore, the keeper 50 can be moved to released position, whether the buttonoperated mechanism is moved to unlocked position or to locked position.

In operation, when the parts are in assembled condition, as shown in FIGURE 1, the button-operated mechanism is retained in position by engagement of the tab 47 with the shoulder 49 of the cylindrical casing 25. T 0 release this engagement, the retaining end 52 of the keeper member 50 is depressed, if need be by application against it of a screwdriver end or some other appropriate instrument. As the keeper member 50 is shifted transversely inwardly, the shoulders 60 and 61 press against the mid-portion of the retainer member 40. Pressure forces the legs 41 and 42 to yield as the tab 47 is moved just far enough to withdraw it out of engagement with the shoulder 49. Upon release as in the manner described, the button 28, can be grasped and pulled outwardly through the face portion 18 of the knob 16, drawing it with it, the cylindrical casing 25, together with the yoke 27, tailpiece 36, and spring 37.

When the button-operated mechanism is to be returned, the mechanism is reinserted through the opening 23 into the interior of the spindle 14. The keeper 50 must again be depressed sufficiently to permit the cylindrical casing 25 to pass until the tab 47 overlies the shoulder 49 and returns to the engaged position with the button-operated mechanism, as shown in FEGURE 1.

Accordingly, addition of a simple retaining member 49 consisting of a resilient arcuate piece in association with the keeper member 50 is made use of in retaining the button-operated mechanism in position merely by having the retaining member extend through the wall of the spindle 14 and engage an appropriate configuration on the cylindrical casing 25, which can be part of the cutout area ordinarily providing for cam action during locking and unlocking operations.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. In a door lock a spindle and a hand hold nonrotatably attached to said spindle, a face at the outer end of the hand hold having an opening therein in alignment with the spindle, a button-operated mechanism extending from the interior of said hand hold outwardly through the opening in said face of the hand hold to the exterior, the portion of said button-operated mechanism in said opening having a cross sectional shape and size substantiaily the same as the cross sectional shape and size of said opening, a shoulder on said button-operated mechanism, a keeper assembly having a first portion extending into releasable engagement with said shoulder, said keeper assembly having another portion extending transversely through said spindle and being reciprocatably mounted therein, said keeper assembly being movable to a position wherein said button operated mechanism is released whereby said button-operated mechanism is adapted to be withdrawn outwardly through said hand hold to the exterior.

2. In a door lock a spindle and a hand hold nonrotatably attached to said spindle, a face at the outer end of the hand hold having an opening in alignment with the spindle, a guiding connection between the hand hold at said face and the outer end of the spindle, a buttonoperated mechanism mounted in said spindle, a portion of said button operated mechanism extending outwardly through said connection and said opening to the exterior, a shoulder on said button operated mechanism, a keeper assembly having a first portion extending into releasable engagement with said shoulder, said keeper assembly having another portion extending transversely through said spindle and into engagement with said hand held, said last identified portion being reciprocatably mounted on said spindle, said keeper assembly being movable to a position wherein said button-operated mechanism is released whereby said button-operated mechanism is adapted to be withdrawn from said spindle outwardly through the opening in said hand hold to the exterior.

3. In a door lock a spindle and a hold hold nonrotatably attached to said spindle, said hand hold having a portion in guided relationship with said spindle, a face at the outer end of the hand hold having an opening therein in alignment with the spindle, a footing ring on the outer end of the spindle having a section thereof in the opening of the hand hold and in guiding relationship with said hand hold, a button-operated mechanism extending outwardly through said footing ring and the opening in said face of the hand hold to the exterior, a shoulder on said button-operated mechanism, a keeper assembly having a first portion overlying said spindle and having a part thereof extending into releasable engagement with said shoulder, said keeper assembly having a second portion extending transversely through said spindle and into engagement with said hand hold, said second portion being reciprocatably mounted on the spindle, said keeper assembly being movable to a position wherein said first portion is released from said button operated mechanism whereby said button-operated mechanism is adapted to be withdrawn from said spindle outwardly through said footing ring and said hand hold to the exterior.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A DOOR LOCK A SPINDLE AND A HAND HOLD NONROTATABLY ATTACHED TO SAID SPINDLE, A FACE AT THE OUTER END OF THE HAND HOLD HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SPINDLE, A BUTTON-OPERATED MECHANISM EXTENDING FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID HAND HOLD OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID FACE OF THE HAND HOLD TO THE EXTERIOR, THE PORTION OF SAID BUTTON-OPERATED MECHANISM IN SAID OPENING HAVING A CROSS SECTIONAL SHAPE AND SIZE SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE CROSS SECTIONAL SHAPE AND SIZE OF SAID OPENING, A SHOULDER ON SAID BUTTON-OPERATED MECHANISM, A KEEPER ASSEMBLY HAVING A FIRST PORTION EXTENDING INTO RELEASABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHOULDER, SAID KEEPER ASSEMBLY HAVING ANOTHER PORTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID SPINDLE AND BEING RECIPROCATABLY MOUNTED THEREIN, SAID KEEPER ASSEMBLY BEING MOVABLE TO A POSITION WHEREIN SAID BUTTON OPERATED MECHANISM IS RELEASED WHEREBY SAID BUTTON-OPERATED MECHANISM IS ADAPTED TO BE WITHDRAWN OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID HAND HOLD TO THE EXTERIOR. 